Illuminating system for tile-mounting machines



Nov. 17, 1931. 1 s. JoNEs ET AL 1,832,558

ILLUMINATING SYSTEM FOR TILE MOUNTING MACHINES Original Filed April 9, 1925A Patented Nov. 17, 1931 -UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIcE LOUIS S. JONES, GARFIELD W. FISHER, AND NOBLE C. BUTLER, F ANDERSON, INDIANA, AND CARL G. HENRIKSON, OF NEWARK, NEVI JERSEY, ASSIGNORS TO THE NATIONAL TILE COMPANY, OF ANDERSON, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF OI-IIO `ILLU'ISLIIINA'LING SYSTEM FOR TILE-MOUNTING MACHINES Original application led April 9, 1925, Serial No. 21,937. Divided and this application iiled March 18, v 1929. Serial No. 348,104.

^ Our invention relates to a lighting system for machines for mounting tiles upon a mounting board, and is a division of our application Serial N o. 21,937, tiled April 9, 1925,

we mount a row of lamps 18 of relatively short construction, in order to dispose an illuminating filament in close proximity to the table and slightly above the plane of the tile supported on the conveyor. The lamps now Patent Number 1,724,764, August 13,

It is an object of the invention to provide a system of illumination which will intensify and project the light within certain limits in order to emphasize and magnify defects in the tiles by producing shadows and light spots caused by such irregularities and defects, in order that the operator may `readily replace the defective tiles; all as will be hereinafter more particularly described and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof and on which similar reference characters Vindicate similar parts, Y

Figure l'1 is a plan view of a rmachine illustrating the application of our invention thereto, v.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1,

Figure 3 is a transverse section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1,

Figures 4 and 5 illustrate shadows cast by irregular tiles, and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary transverse section illustrating a modified form of the invent-ion.

In the drawings reference character 11 indicates an inspection table having a shaker 12 at one end, such as described in our application Serial No. 20,873, filed April 4, 1925, to which shaker tiles are supplied from the hopper 13 and from the shaker to the inspection table. A pasting and delivery table 14 forms a continuation of the inspection table and a return conveyor 15 extends alongside said tables to a table or magazine 15*l which holds empty mounting boards such as shown and described in our above referred to application.

Upon the table 11 are mounted longitudinal guide rails 16 between which travels the upper run of a belt conveyor 17 which moves in the direction of the arrow from left to right. Between the guide rail 16 and the edge of the table at each side of the machine 18 are covered by closely fitting overhanging reflectors 19 which intensify the light and confine its projection within certain limits. ylhe said reflectors are preferably of curved cross sectional construction and are formed of sheet metal or the like, and a boxing 2O forms a protector for the same, such boxing consisting of an upright and a horizontal member which projects over the reflector. The inner edges of the reflectors curve over the lights and entend downwardly and terminate in a rolled over bead 21, and serve to confine the lightv in such a manner that it will not shine above a substantially horizontal plane, prevented from shining into the eyes of the operators or inspectors and blinding them.

On account of the overhanging beads 21 of the reectors being spaced from the rail 16 in the manner shown, the light rays of the lamps 18 fall upon the tiles on the mounting board 22 at such an angle that they! will produce elongated shadows and light spots caused by irregularites and defects in the surfaces of the tiles, such irregularities and-defects being magnified to such an extent that the operator is able to readily discern the imperfect or defective tiles and to replace them.

VThe inspectors are stationed at the sides of the table between opposite compartments 23 separated by partitions 211, and in which compartments one or more lamps are mounted. Light rays thrownrin various directions by the lamps 18 and in a measure shut off by the partitions 2-1 throw shadows across the tiles in such a way that if they are not revealed by one of the lamps they will be revealed by another of the lamps, throwing light from a different angle, thus permitting a thorough inspection of the tiles upon the mounting boards as they are carried along by the conveyor.

A lamp 25 is suspended above the conveyor belt 17 immediately following the and thus the light rays will be series of compartments 23 and such lamp is provided with a shade which projects the light downwardly and prevents the same from being thrown into the eyes of the inspecter. rEhe purpose of this lamp is to illuminate the tiles in such a manner that soft or insuiiiciently fired tiles can be distinguished from perfect tiles by differences in color and other characteristics. It is practically impossible to detect defects of this rharacter unless light falls upon the tiles in a substantially vertical direction.

A compartment 2G over which the lamp 25 is suspended is bounded by partitions 27 and curtains QS :suspended in such a manner that they will drag over the face of the mounting boards as they pass and prevent light rays from interfering with the inspection of the tiles on the conveyor at each side of the compartment 2G. The tiles are finally inspected in a compartment 2S) similar to the compartments 23 illuminated by lamps 3() to permit a. more general inspection and to determine the quality of any tiles previously inserted, the final inspecting operation being preferably performed by m-ore er perienced operators.

Figures 4 and 5 illustrate how shadows are thrown by irregularities in the tiles, the tile illustrated liaving a depression l and projection 52. Light shining across the depression l and projection 52 casts shadows 53 and 5l respectively by means of which defects are readily discerned.

In Figure G we have shown a modified form of the invention, the essence of which is the provision of' a light diffusing lens L which serves to soften the light and diffuse it in a manner to improve its qualities, the other parts being substantially the same as previously described.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in our device without departing from the spirit of the invention, and we, therefore, do not limit ourselves to what is shown in the drawings and described in the specification, but only as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus fully described our said invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. A tile treating machine comprising a conveyor, for filled tile-mounting boards, curtains extending across said board, a source of light above the space between two curtains providing substantially direct vertical illumination for the tiles between said curtains, one or more sources of light alongside the conveyor outside said space, and reflectors for determining the direction in which the light from said last-named sources falls on the adjacent tiles, substantially as set forth.

E2. A tile treating machine comprising a conveyor for filled tile-mounting boards, one

` or more sources of light alongside the conveyor adjacent the opposite ends thereof providing for independent inspections of the tiles, reflectors for determining the direction in which the light from said sources strikes the tiles on the conveyor, curtains protecting an intermediate portion of the conveyor from such light, and a source of light directly above the conveyor for illuminating the tiles on such intermediate portion, substantially as set forth.

3. A machine for inspecting tiles comprising a conveyor for tile filled mounting boards, a plurality of compartments positioned adjacent said conveyor, illuminating means ar ranged in some of the compartments along the conveyor to project oblique rays across said tiles, shields over said illuminating means to protect the eyes of inspectors stationed along the conveyor, and a light in other compartments above the conveyor but positioned in close proximity thereto to shine directly vertically on said tiles While on said mounting boards, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof, we the said L. S. JONES, Gr. W. FISHER, and N. C. Burman, have hereunto setour hands at Anderson, Indiana, this 11th day of March, A. D. nineteen hundred and twenty-nine.

LOUIS S. JONES. GARFIELD W. FISHER. NOBLE C. BUTLER.

twenty-nine.

CARL G. HENRIKSON. 

